Ambidextrous glove having widened glove body and method of producing the same

Abstract

A reusable glove for meat processing plants that is able to be easily donned and doffed, and worn over a liner. A thumb crotch is defined between first sides of the glove's index finger region and thumb region. An imaginary first plane extends generally along the index finger region's first side, beyond the thumb crotch, and through the thumb region. An imaginary second plane oriented at right angles to the first plane extends along a narrowest width of the glove's wrist region and intersects the first plane at an intersection region. An imaginary third plane oriented parallel to the first plane and at right angles to the second plane, passes through narrowest width of the wrist region, and intersects the side of the wrist region at a transition region. The transition region is located outwardly beyond the intersection region and vertically below the thumb crotch.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A glove comprising:
 a body defining an interior cavity adapted to receive a person's hand therein, wherein the body is fabricated from one or more of nitrile and natural rubber; 
 
       wherein the body includes:
 a thumb region adapted to receive the person's thumb therein; 
 an index finger region adapted to receive the person's index finger therein, wherein the index finger region has a first side that together with a first side of the thumb region defines a thumb crotch therebetween; 
 a wrist region adapted to receive the person's wrist therein; 
 wherein the body has an interior surface bounding and defining the interior cavity, and wherein the interior surface is flocked; 
 an imaginary first plane extending generally along the first side of the index finger region, downwardly beyond the thumb crotch, and through the thumb region; 
 an imaginary second plane oriented at right angles to the imaginary first plane and extending along a narrowest width of the wrist region; wherein the imaginary first plane and imaginary second plane intersect one another at an intersection region; and 
 an imaginary third plane oriented parallel to the imaginary first plane and at right angles to the imaginary second plane, said imaginary third plane passing through the narrowest width of the wrist region; 
 wherein the imaginary second plane intersects a first side of the wrist region at a transition region; and wherein the transition region is located outwardly from the intersection region in a direction moving away from the imaginary third plane and towards the imaginary first plane; 
 wherein the body has an exterior surface including a front and a back of the glove; wherein texture is provided on gripping surfaces of each of the front and the back, and wherein the pattern of texture on the front is identical to the pattern of texture on the back; 
 wherein the exterior surface of the body is of a first color and the interior surface of the body is of a second color that is different from the first color; and 
 wherein the wrist region terminates at a bottom end and the body has a first length measured from the bottom end to the intersection region and a second length measured from the intersection region to the thumb crutch, and wherein when the glove is laid on a flat surface, the first length is between 79 mm and 97 mm and the second length is between 80 mm and 94 mm, wherein the first length is adapted to cause the wrist region to extend over a long sleeve shirt worn by the person in a cooled meat processing environment. 
 
     
     
       2. The glove according to  claim 1 , wherein the imaginary third plane is a center plane passing generally through a center of the narrowest width of the wrist region such that the imaginary center plane is equidistant from a first side and a second side of the wrist region. 
     
     
       3. The glove according to  claim 2 , wherein the transition region is located at or proximate to the first side of the wrist region. 
     
     
       4. The glove according to  claim 1 , wherein the wrist region extends downwardly for a distance to a bottom end of the wrist region, and wherein the bottom end of the wrist region is located generally parallel to the imaginary second plane. 
     
     
       5. The glove according to  claim 1 , wherein the wrist region tapers inwardly from the bottom end and moving towards the imaginary second plane. 
     
     
       6. The glove according to  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a finger region comprising the index finger region, a middle finger region, a ring finger region, and a little finger region; and wherein the glove is an ambidextrous glove where the thumb region, the index finger region, the middle finger region, the ring finger region, and the little finger region are aligned along an imaginary common plane; and wherein the imaginary second plane is oriented at right angles to the imaginary common plane. 
     
     
       7. The glove according to  claim 6 , wherein the body is fabricated from a material having a thickness measured from the exterior surface of the body to the interior surface thereof, and wherein the body includes a palm region and a back region interposed between the finger region and the wrist region, wherein the finger region is about 8 mils thick, the palm region and back region are about 7 mils thick, and the wrist region is about 5 mils thick. 
     
     
       8. The glove according to  claim 1 , wherein the body is fabricated from a material having a thickness in a range of from about 4 mils up to about 15 mils, wherein the thickness is measured from the exterior surface of the body to the interior surface thereof. 
     
     
       9. The glove according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of nitrile and natural rubber includes one or more materials that improve a strength, a cut-resistance, and a protection to the person's hand received within the interior cavity of the glove. 
     
     
       10. The glove according to  claim 1 , wherein when the glove is laid on a flat surface the narrowest width of the glove is between 98.5 mm to 130 mm. 
     
     
       11. The glove according to  claim 1 , wherein when the glove is laid on the flat surface, a bottom end of the wrist region is of a width of between 127 mm and 150 mm. 
     
     
       12. The glove according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rolled cuff extending outwardly from the wrist region in a direction opposite to the palm region, wherein the rolled cuff displays the second color of the interior surface of the glove adjacent the first color of the exterior surface of the glove. 
     
     
       13. A glove comprising:
 a body defining an interior cavity adapted to receive a person's hand and wrist therein, wherein the body is fabricated from one or more of nitrile and natural rubber having a thickness in a range of from about 4 mils up to about 15 mils, wherein the thickness is measured from an exterior surface of the body to an interior surface thereof, and wherein the glove is reusable; 
 wherein the body includes: 
 a palm region and a back region opposed to the palm region; 
 a thumb region and a finger region extending outwardly from the palm region and the back region, wherein the finger region includes an index finger region having a first side that together with a first side of the thumb region defines a thumb crotch therebetween; 
 a wrist region extending downwardly from the palm region and the back region, said wrist region having a narrowest width that extends between a first side of the wrist region and a second side of the wrist region; 
 wherein the body has an interior surface bounding and defining the interior cavity, and wherein the interior surface is flocked; 
 an imaginary first plane extending generally along the first side of the index finger region, downwardly beyond the thumb crotch, and through the thumb region; and 
 an imaginary second plane oriented at right angles to the imaginary first plane and extending along the narrowest width of the wrist region; wherein the imaginary second plane intersects the imaginary first plane at an intersection region; 
 an imaginary third plane is oriented parallel to the imaginary first plane and at right angles to the imaginary second plane, said imaginary third plane passing through the narrowest width of the wrist region; 
 wherein the imaginary second plane intersects the wrist region's first side at a transition region; and wherein the transition region is located on an opposite side of the imaginary first plane from the imaginary third plane; 
 wherein the body includes a front and a back of the glove; wherein texture is provided on gripping surfaces of each of the front and the back, and wherein the pattern of texture on the front is identical to the pattern of texture on the back; 
 wherein the exterior surface of the body is of a first color and the interior surface of the body is of a second color that is different from the first color; 
 a rolled cuff extends outwardly from the wrist region in a direction opposite to the palm region; and 
 wherein the wrist region terminates at a bottom end and the body has a first length measured from the bottom end to the intersection region and a second length measured from the intersection region to the thumb crutch, and wherein when the glove is laid on a flat surface, the first length is between 79 mm and 97 mm and the second length is between 80 mm and 94 mm, wherein the first length is adapted to cause the wrist region to extend over a long sleeve shirt worn by the person in a cooled meat processing environment. 
 
     
     
       14. The glove according to  claim 13 , wherein the transition region is located vertically below the thumb crotch. 
     
     
       15. The glove according to  claim 13 , wherein when the glove is laid on a flat surface the narrowest width of the glove is between 98.5 mm to 130 mm. 
     
     
       16. The glove according to  claim 13 , wherein when the glove is laid on the flat surface, a bottom end of the wrist region is of a width of between 127 mm and 150 mm. 
     
     
       17. A glove comprising:
 a body defining an interior cavity adapted to receive a person's hand therein, wherein the body is fabricated from one or more of nitrile and natural rubber; 
 
       wherein the body includes:
 a thumb region adapted to receive the person's thumb therein; 
 an index finger region adapted to receive the person's index finger therein, wherein the index finger region has a first side that together with a first side of the thumb region defines a thumb crotch therebetween; 
 a wrist region adapted to receive the person's wrist therein; 
 wherein the body has an interior surface bounding and defining the interior cavity, and wherein the interior surface is flocked; 
 an imaginary first plane extending generally along the first side of the index finger region, downwardly beyond the thumb crotch, and through the thumb region; 
 an imaginary second plane oriented at right angles to the imaginary first plane and extending along a narrowest width of the wrist region; wherein the imaginary first plane and imaginary second plane intersect one another at an intersection region; and 
 an imaginary third plane oriented parallel to the imaginary first plane and at right angles to the imaginary second plane, said imaginary third plane passing through the narrowest width of the wrist region; 
 wherein the imaginary second plane intersects a first side of the wrist region at a transition region; and wherein the transition region is located outwardly from the intersection region in a direction moving away from the imaginary third plane and towards the imaginary first plane; and 
 wherein the wrist region terminates at a bottom end and the body has a first length measured from the bottom end to the intersection region and a second length measured from the intersection region to the thumb crutch, and wherein when the glove is laid on a flat surface, the first length is between 79 mm and 97 mm and the second length is between 80 mm and 94 mm, wherein the first length is adapted to cause the wrist region to extend over a long sleeve shirt worn by the person in a cooled meat processing environment.